Refrigerating apparatus



F. OPHULS ETAL REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l I in l V NTORS Q' (J'- 7 MW ATTORNEY;

Oct. 3, 1944. F. OPHULS EIAL REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WATTORNEY Patented Oct. 3, 1944 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Fred Ophuls, New York, N. Y., and Daniel ONeil, Lowell, Mass, assignors to Fred plnils & Associates, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 8, 1942, Serial No. 450,156

3 Claims.

This invention relates especially to devices for freezin Wrapped or cartoned foods of the kind in which the freezing fluid, e. 'g. air, is flowed through a stack of the articles to be frozen in as direct a contact with those articles as possible. It will become apparent however that the invention is not limited to complete freezing; i. e. it is applicable also to cases where a lesser degree of refrigeration or cooling is needed. Likewise it is not limited to packaged foods, or even to foods, but it is applicable as well to the freezing or a lesser degree of refrigeration of discrete units of other materials or substances. It is however particularly applicable to those cases where (as with cartoned foods) the units are to be held against distortion as they expand in freezing.

For brevity we shall refer hereafter, for the most part, to only the freezing of wrapped or cartoned foods to which, as stated above, the invention is especially applicable. Its broader application will be understood therefrom.

In devices of the kind here concerned, the refrigerating fluid, which usually is air but can be .another fluid, is circulated more or less continuously through a stack of the food packages and through a refrigeration unit whereat the fluid is cooled. When the contents of a stack are frozen, the stack is withdrawn from the fluid circuit and another is substituted for it in the circuit. These operations are repeated as often as may be necessary. Ordinarily each stack is carried on a truck or th like for ready movement into and out of the fluid path, and of course two or more stacks may be refrigerated simulta neously.

Certain apparatus by way of shelves, etc. is required to hold the packages in the stack of course, and provide ducts or passages to permit the ready flow of the refrigerating fluid through the stack in as intimate a relation as possible with the packages. Our invention provides an improved apparatus for this purpose. Specifically, this apparatus is of such nature that the packges carry no part, or no substantial part, of the weight above them and the apparatus, while permitting the food packages to expand somewhat during freezing, is capable of confining each package sufliciently, and in such a manner, as to prevent the package being distorted unduly as it expands. Additionally th apparatus is of such a nature that the frozen packages of a stack a can be removed quickly and handily, and another 'quickly and handily, and it is capable of handling packages of one shape and size at one time and packages of another shape and size at another time equally readily and effectively.

Briefly our apparatus comprises a set of members which provide the necessary ducts for the flow of the refrigerating fluid through the stack and the inherent strength that is required to confine the packages against undue distortion, cooperating trays or other forms of floors and (where necessary) roofs, and bars to both carry the weight between the duct-providing members and (where necessary) to complete the confinement of the packages while permitting their necessary expansion in a harmless manner. The duct-providing members are of such a nature that they may be used with packages of various sizes and shapes. The floor and roof providing members (e. g, trays), and the bars, adapt the apparatus to the various package sizes and shapes, and to perform this function each installation can be equipped with a variety of sizes of floors, roofs and bars, at comparatively little expense, the cooperative relation between the duct-providing members and the floors, roofs and bars being such that the latter are relatively cheap to make.

The foregoing will be understood better from the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic illustration of a freezing system of the kind to which the present invention relates, a stack of packages being shown in freezing position; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a part of two layers of astack of the preferred form; and Fig. 3 illustrates in perspective the preferred components of a single layer of the stack apparatus of the invention in the relative po- .sitions they occupy in the stack, except that in part they are shown raised one above another.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, a freezin system of the kind to which the present invention relates comprises essentially a refrigerating unit I, one or more ducts or passages 2, 3, usually a blower 4 driven, say, by a motor 4* for circulating the fluid (in the present instance, air) throughtherefrigerating unit I and a stack 5 of the food packages, an enclosure 8 for the refrigerating unit I, and an enclosure 9 for the stack. The door which admits the stack to the enclosure 9 and which is closed during the refrigerating operation to close the circulating system, has been omitted from Fig. 1 in order to show the stacks -5. The arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the direction of air flow, for example. As a matter of convenience, the stack -5 is carried,

usually, on a truck or trucks 6 provided with wheels or skids 1 whereby the stack can be placed in a position readily and another substituted from time to time. Although not indicated in the drawings, it will be understood of course that provision can be made at the enclosure 9 to prevent unnecessary flow of air around the stack, that is to say, to confine the flow at this place substantially to the interior of the stack. At the refrigerating unit I the air is cooled of course to whatever temperature may be necessary or desirable, and as one stack load is cooled to the desired temperature, it is replaced by another. The specific construction of the system is immaterial to the present invention as appears from the matter hereafter.

The stacking apparatus of-the present invention includes, first, a number of frames In to provide the necessary air ducts or passages through the stack and the strength required to resist the forces developed by the tendency of closely packed food packages to expand when frozen. Each frame comprises essentially a number of cross members II, and longitudinal members l2 to tie the cross members I I together and to which they may be bolted or welded, for example, preferably at both the top and the bottom of each frame (1. e., at the sides of the passage or passages through the frame provided by the cross members ll, so as not to close these passages to air fiow), and preferably at least at the ends of the cross members as shown in Fig. 3. Actually there may be as many of these longitudinal members l2 as may be necessary or desirable for the functions they perform, although ordinarily the stacks are of such width that such longitudinal members at the ends of the cross members II alone are suificient. Additionally each frame, top and bottom, should have stops or supports for the bars mentioned hereafter, at least at three edges of the frame, the fourth edge being left free of such stops however. The longitudinal members l2 can well provide the stops at two edges; preferably therefore we so construct these longitudinal members that they project somewhat from their respective faces of the frame; to this end, for example, they can be made L- shaped as illustrated. Suitable stops at the third edge can be provided by bolting or welding a plate l3 thereat. Preferably the frames are so constructed that they can lie substantially horizontally in the enclosure 9 with their cross members H extending in the direction from duct 2 to duct 3, so that the air can flow through the stack substantially directly from one duct to the other. Each frame may be wide enough (direction of the cross members I I) to reach substantially across the enclosure 9, from duct to duct, and long enough (direction of the longitudinal members I2) to reach substantially from the door to the back wall of the enclosure 9, in which case there may be only one stack used at a time in any such space or enclosure as 9. However the number of stacks employed simultaneously in a single such enclosure, either from duct to duct, or from door to back wall of the enclosure, or one above another, or in any or all these directions, is not material to the invention, and the sizes of the frames l0 and the number of them assembled on each stack may vary accordingly. Primarily the cross members I l are the parts of the frames that are made with sufficient strength to support the weight of the frames and food packages above them and restrain the expansion of the food packages during freezing. The-bar stops before referred to, e. g. the longitudinal members [2 and the stops 13, are made of such strength as to be able to support the outward thrusts of expansion that is imposed on them and transmit those forces to the cross members ll.

One such frame I 0 is provided for each row of air passages desired in a stack, and there may be one additional frame to lie on the top of the top food layer, although this is not entirely necessary as will appear hereafter. There may of course be as many such sets of these frames as may be necessary to permit a stack or stacks of frozen packages to be disassembled, and a stack or stacks of fresh packages to be assembled, during the time that another stack or stacks is being refrigerated.

The stacking apparatus also includes trays or some other form of floor members I4 to rest on the upper sides of the frames I0, and usually at least trays or another form of roof members I5 for placement above each layer of food packages l6 as shown in Fig. 2. For each stack, we provide at least sufiicient floors I4 to substantially cover each frame of the stack, excepting the top frame when a frame is used above the uppermost food layer. Preferably the roofs l5 are like the floors l4 so that the two can be used interchangeably, and usually a similar number of roofs are provided. Preferably these floors and roofs are in fact trays, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, that is to say, preferably each is provided with side flanges ll and a flange I8 at one end. The function of the flanges l1 and I8 is to assist the ready assembly of the bars hereafter referred to with the remainder of the apparatus. Should this not be desired or necessary, the flanges can be omitted, i. e. unfianged plates can be substituted for the trays. Preferably each floor and roof member is laid transversely of the cross members I I of the frames l0 (Fig. 3), and is made long enough to extend across a number of the frame members I I, transversely thereof, although this is not entirely essential. A function of the floor members I4 is to provide a continuous floor surface or shelf for food packages of course. Additionally however, a function of the floors and roofs is to provide flat uniform surfaces against which the food packages I 6 may press as they tend to expand. However the cross members II are used in such numbers as to support the floors and roofs at rather closely placed intervals, with the result that floors and roofs need not be of inherently great trength, or great thickness. Accordingly they can be made, for example, of a sheet metal and thus adapted to permit the ready transfer of heat from the packages to the cooling fluid, and they can be bent at their edges and one end to form the flanges l1 and I8, and if desired, folded at the other end as indicated at l9 to reinforce that end, and thus made cheaply. Preferably the length of each floor and roof is equal to the length of one package to be frozen should these be long, or if the packages are much smaller than this (as usually will be the case) then preferably the length of each floor and roof is equal to an integral multiple of one (horizontal) dimension of a package, plus (in either case) the thickness of two of the end bars referred to hereafter. When the floors and roofs are flanged trays, these dimensions are internal dimensions of the trays. Other than this the length of each floor and roof, externally, may be substantially equal to the length of a frame (e. g. the length of a longitudinal frame member I2), or shorter than this, say one-half or one-third of that length if desired for ready handling or otherwise. The width of each floor and roof (e. g. internally of its side flanges) may be equal to the width of a large package, or a multiple of the second horizontal dimension of a smaller package, plus (in either case) twice the thickness of one of the side bars referred to hereafter. Other than this the width of each floor and roof member, externally, can be equal to the distance between two of the longitudinal frame members I2, although for convenience of handling, we prefer to make each tray either one-half or one-third such a width so. that two or three will just fit in between two of the members I2 of each frame as will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3. To. have the trays more or less fit the units to be refrigerated and the frame will require of course, more or less, a special set for each size and shape of package, and as appears from the foregoing this is not excessively costly. However in some cases it may not be possible, convenient or worth while to have floors and roofs (and particularly, trays) of such exact dimensions in every instance, and especially of such exact. dimensions with respect to every size and shape of article to be refrigerated. In any such case floors, roofs or trays oversize with respect to the articles to be frozen, or undersize with respect to the frames, or both, can be used, the resulting spaces on the floors and roofs, or on the frames, being closed by fillers so far as necessary or desirable.

Additionally the stack apparatus includes a set of side and end bars 24 and 25. Usually, and especially when the floors and roofs are flanged trays, there will be two of the side bars 24 and two of the end bars for each floor I4 of a stack. When the expansion of packages is to be prevented, the width of each of these bars (dimension 26, Fig. 3) is made to correspond to one desired dimension of a food package after freezing (Fig. 2), although fillers can be used and if two or more packages are to be placed one on top of each other in the space between each two of the frames I0, then this dimension of the bars 24 and 2.5 will be correspondingly greater as will be understood; if the units or articles to be cooled are of such a nature that restraint on their expansion is unnecessary, the widths, of the bars can be greater than this.

Preferably the length of each side bar 24 is equal to the length of a floor or roof member, or to the inside length. of a flanged tray, and preferably each end bar 25 is long enough to fit loosely in the space between two of the side bars (Fig. 3).

Preferably the frames, floors, roofs, and bars are separate and distinct units. That is to say, preferably they are not attached together but a set of them are assembled together in erecting each stack and are disassembled in removing the cooled packages from a stack. In some instances however it may be satisfactory or even more convenient to have certain of these stack components attached to others; for example, when many packages of one particular size and shape are to be handled, it may be advisable to attach a tray or trays to each side of a frame, or to attach a set of two side bars 24 and one end bar 25 (at the end I8) to each tray forming a floor, or both of these.

In astack two or more of what have been called side and end bars 24 and 25 rest on edge between each two adjacent frames III of a stack and bear (directly or indirectly) on cross members II of the frames. It is evident from the dimensions given above that the bars will then carry the weight of everything above them respectively and transmit this weight to the cross members I I of the frame beneath them; e. g. the bars will relieve the packages I6, Fig. 2, of all need of carrying any part of the weight of the stack. Preferably at least two of these bars, e. g. side bars 24, are rested across a number of the cross members II of the frame as before suggested, and in so far as these bars are located adjacent bar stops or supports on the frame (e. g. I2, I3) they are placed in engagement therewith, directly or indirectly. Except that the parts are shown raised one from another, Fig. 3 shows the relative positions of one layer of the preferred forms of the stack components. That is to say: Ordinarily one of the frames I (1 forms the very bottom of each stack in order to provide for air flow below the first layer of the food packages; This frame can be omitted however if air ducts at this place are unnecessary in some instances, or if, say, the truck 6 itself is formed to provide for such air flow. Assuming that a frame is used at this place, then on the cross members II of this frame rests the floor member or members M for the first food layer. As before indicated, these preferably are edge-flanged trays, but whatever their form preferably they are placed transversely of the cross members H, and in the case of trays they are so placed that, so far as possible, their side and end flanges I1 and I8 substantially engage with the stops or supports of the frame, e. g. with the longitudinal frame members I2 and plate I3. The remainder of the edge flanges I! are placed in substantial engagement with each other (Fig. 2). Ordinarily enough of these floor members are used to cover the frame entirely, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, and if, say, the trays have been specially adapted to, say, the space or spaces between the longitudinal members I2 of the frame, no fillers will be needed to assure this engagement of the tray flanges I! with the members I2 and with each other, and thereby assure support against the thrusts that may be imposed on them. One of the side bars 24 is laid on edge in each tray against each side flange I I of the tray. The end bars 25 are placed on edge between the side bars 24 as needed, say, one against the end flange I8 of the tray and another in the opposite end of the tray. The food packages I 5, in one or more layers, usually one layer only, are placed on the floor or floors between the side and end bars 24 and 25. When the packages need to be confined they are packed into this space more or less snugly as before indicated, and if the trays are specially adapted for the particular size and shape of package as before indicated, no fillers will be needed to assure a rather close or snug fit of the packages between the bars. On top of this layer of food packages, and preferably extending over the side and end bars 24 and 25, is placed a roof or roof members, and at least in the case of trays these extend in the same direction as the trays I4 but are inverted (position in Fig. 3), so that side and end flanges I1 and I8 of these roof trays I5 are located outside the top edges of the side and end bars 24 and 25, and internally of the layer their side flanges II substantially engage each other. However, should it be unnecessary in any instance to confine the articles or units to be refrigerated against expansion, the roof members can be omitted.

The foregoing constitutes one layer of the stack. The next layer above may be exactly like the first, beginning with the second frame memher It) which is placed on the roof trays l5 of the first or lowermost layer (if these are used), and with its cross members H extending transversely of the side bars 24 and with its supports or stops (e. g. its projecting longitudinal members l2 and plate I3) in supporting relation with, at least, the outermost of the bars 24 and 25, e. g. in direct engagement with the outermost of the flanges I! and 18 of the roof trays 15 (Fig. 2). The third layer is placed on the second, and so on for as many layers as are desired for the stack. Above the top layer a final frame I can be placed, with or without a weight or weights 30 to restrain undue expansion of the stack upwardly, or a weight or weights 3!], extending over all or a considerable part of the top surface, can be placed directly on the tops of the top layer of the food packages, or on a top member or members 15 covering the last food layer as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be observed from this arrangement, as indicated before, that the weight of each upper layer is carried by the necessary apparatus of the stack rather than by the food below it; that is to say, each upper frame supports the food layer on it, and the whole of this weight is carried by side bars 24 (with or without the assistance of the end bars 25) and the frame or frames H] below it. When the food packages are snugly packed between floors and roofs and side and end bars, their expansions, as they are frozen, are restrained. Horizontally the expansion is restrained by the mutual engagement of the packages one with another and ultimately by the side and end bars 24 and 25 and the tray flanges and the mutual engagement of these flanges, one with another, until this thrust is de-' livered to and supported by the stops or supports (e. g. I2 and I3) of the frame, excepting that in one horizontal direction, namely toward the open ends of the trays, where the open ends permit the packages to expand to such a degree as may be necessary to prevent the development of disruptive forces. Vertically the expansion of each food layer is restrained by the weight of the frame or frames and the food above it, except as to the top layer which is restrained by the weights 3% and/or any frame II] that may be laid on it. At the same time the flat surfaces provided by theflat top and bottom members l4 and I5 and the side and end bars 24 and 25, together with the mutual engagement of the packages one with another, prevent distortion of the packages as they tend to expand, andto a limited extent are permitted to expand, while being frozen.

It will be understood that our invention is not limited to the details of construction illustrated in the drawings and described above except as appears hereafter in the claims.

We claim:

1. For the formation of a stack for the refrigeration of discrete units, the combination of a plurality of frames each of which includes a plurality of substantially parallel cross members spaced from each other to provide passages for the flow of refrigerating fluid through the stack and longitudinal members at the ends of said cross members to connect the cross members together and projecting outwardly from both faces of the frame, a plurality of trays each of sumcient length to extend across a plurality of the cross members of a frame and each having a flange at each of its lengthwise sides, there being at least a sufficient number of trays to substantially cover one face of substantially each frame to be used in a stack and the width of each tray being substantially equal to one dimension of the units to be refrigerated or a multiple thereof, a plurality of bars for assembly substantially horizontally between substantially each two frames to support substantially each frame on another below it and provide spaces within the stack for the units to be refrigerated, the length of each bar being at least substantially equal to the length of a tray and a transverse dimension of each bar being substantially equal to or a multiple of another dimension of one discrete unit to be refrigerated, and there being at.

least twice as many bars as there are trays required to cover one face of substantially each frame in a stack, said frames, trays and bars being separate and distinct elements for assembly together to form a stack and to permit disassembly of a stack.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, characterized by the fact that the combination includes also end bars, the length of each end bar being substantially equal to the width of a tray between the said flanges minus twice the thickness of one of the first mentioned bars and a transverse dimension of each end bar being substantially equal to the said transverse dimension of the first mentioned bars, and there being at least twice as many of the end bars as there are trays required to cover one face of substantially each frame of a stack, and at least one end of each tray being unfianged to permit movement in a direction outwardly from the tray.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, characterized by the fact that the number of trays equals at least twice the number of trays required to substantially cover one face of substantially each frame to be used in a stack. I

FRED OPHULS. DANIEL T. ONEIL. 

